The present invention relates to a novel group of chemical compounds having antibacterial activity, which are useful in the therapy of bacterial infections in mammals. More specifically, the invention relates to derivatives of the well-known macrolide antibiotic, erythromycin A, the compound of the structure: ##STR2##
Even more specifically, the invention relates to the compounds of the structure: ##STR3## wherein R is hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl or acyl and n is 0 or 1, R' and R" together are oxo, hydroxyimino or alkoxyimimo, and R' and R" independently are hydrogen, hydroxyl, acyloxy, or amino substituted by any of hydrogen, alkycarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, aralkylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl aralkoxycarbonyl, alkylsulfonyl or arylsulfonyl.
The present invention also provides for novel pharmaceutical compositions and methods of their use as antibiotic agents.